The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-10-08
OUR PHILADELPHIA LETTER.
PnILADELpHIA, Pa, Oct. 8. 1871.

UUR PHILADELPHIA LETTER.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Oct. 8, 's7,
With the attending excitement and curb
osity pertaining to the constitutional CEN
tennial festivities having passed away Phil
adelphia people turned their attention more
or less into the political whirl of 1887.
Philadelphia Is essentially city of political
bosses and autocrats. This Is particularly
exemplIfied In the majority party which Is
endeavorlng to in1ict upon the City of
Brotherly Loye a set of officials who have
record for subseryancy. and political pros
titution unsurpassed To understand and
fully realize this one need only be close
observer Of the way party machinery Is used
as an effective instrument to bride and
override the desires and wishes of good and
honest citizens. w. r. Leeds, i'hail fel-
low well met" the Republican candidate
for Sheriff, is boss and has been a boss of
long standing; he pre-eminently represents
the most vicious features of that political
system of making nominations and utiliz-
Ing public offices for individual aggrandlze-
ment and gain. A rule by which men are
usually judged is by their past actions thus
weighed In the balance, this boss candidate
for sheriff is found wanting. for he has
filled the same Office before and during his
term of Office the officials with which he
was surrounded were but band Of extor-
tionate robbers and blaekmailers. No citi-
zen could transact any business under the
Leeds regime unless he was politely and
at times rudely lnformed-''Stand and de-
liver" These facts have not been forgot
ten by the indulgent citizens of Philadel-
phia, and Leeds after November 9th may
realize the advice given him before his
nomination by prominent leaders and
friends that he would be defeated. This
candidacy is recognized as the incomation
of old methods, corruption and political
prostitution; II Is the same as that which a
few years ago aroused the taxpayers and
from which they sprung the committe of
One Hundred who scattered bosses,
henchmen and boss tactics in all directions.
The spirit of this citizens movement; direct
ed by leading Republican business men, is
vitalizing and will make itself felt in the
contest as against Leeds. Unless trades
and bargains with corrupt Democratic
leaders for the delivery of purchasab!e votes
in their control to Leeds will be consum-
mated he will be defeated by the good citl-
Gems of Philadelphia; such q defeat will
mean much to the taxpayers for 1t will be
notice to these arrogant leaders that al
though by corruption and political machin-
cry unworthy men can be nominated they
can not be elected; that honest govern
ment--that Office is public trusts of
much more Importance than party suprem-
acy to citizens injection of party bias.
The Democrats have wisely ayailed them
selves OF the opportunity offered by nomin-
| atlng a ticket of men of lrreproachable
character and standing. The Democratic
nominee for sheriff is the exact antIthesls
of Leeds. Chas. H. Krumbhaar has served
the people faithfully and well. He has
been reformer In politics ever since lie has
been active in the science of government;
as member Of council and city commits
sioner, his record is clear and spotless. To
each of these positions he was elected by
Republican citizens, not Republican poll
ticians, and II all calculations are not a
miss the same forces will place him In the
sherifrs Office Of Philadelphia. Such a re-
suit Is anticipated and every manifestation
OF public comment and action tends TO con-
firm 1t. Democratic and Republican poll
ticlans do not differ In any essential as TO
encompassing and making nominations.
Those In both parties are mainly corrupt
and in politics for what is Sin it," The
only difference Is that the Republicans are
In the major party and thereby II not re-
proved by citizens moYements, the main
sharers of plunder.
The week just closed was one of tremen-
dous activity amongst Democratic workers.
Leaders and citizens. The citizens as re-
suit OF their activity haYe Jared well as 70
ticket. II Is composed of good clean men
l-Krumbhaar. Dechert and Sensenderfer
challenge the scrutiny of all men. They
are clean reliable men and as TO the cleo
tion three of them have more than even
chances. The bone Of contention was the
commisslonership. The nominee is sure of
an election. Two candidates-Peter Mon
roe and John Paul Jones Sensenderfer-
contested for the prize; the latter bagged
the game; this fight was a hot one; It was
fought with much bitterness; every device,
resource and INSCRIPTIONS tactic was
brought into play; frauds on either side
were perpetrated without fear or favor.
The primary elections for commissioner
were Of the same character as Republican
primaries usually are. The machine can
didate usually wins; there we're no less than
twentY-one fraudulent delegates, delegates
that were not elected In this convention;
these were about evenly divided between
the two candidates. The reault-fraudu-
liant result-was accomplished In the wards
affected by the party organization being In
the hands Of men who favored either one
or the other candidate. The party rules
give the organization absolute control of
saying who Is or who Is not. There Is no
appeal from such decision; such rules are
baneful curse. The majority does not
rule, and INSCRIPTIONS men who may be In
control Of party organization can reader
any result desired. Such Is popular gov
ernment. Besides this absolute power un-
deE the rules, primary elections are not con-